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Sally Koslow, author of the acclaimed international bestseller The Late, Lamented Molly Marx, has a new novel releasing May 29th that is sure to delight lovers of literature and historical fiction alike. Another Side of Paradise brings to life the affair of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his longtime lover, Sheilah Graham. David Gillham, New York Times bestselling author of City of Women says, "In Another Side of Paradise, Sally Koslow gives us an intimate portrait of a tumultuous love affair that defies tragedy. You will not want to put it down." 

Today, we are thrilled to welcome Sally for a guest post that details her love of libraries!

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If I hadn’t become a writer and editor, I’d have loved to be a librarian, helping readers discover new authors and dig deep into research. My motive is partly selfish. To work in a library would give me an excuse to be surrounded by books, which is how I imagine heaven.

Some of my earliest memories are stopping by the old brick library in my hometown—Fargo, North Dakota—along with my mother to pick up her weekly batch of books, since she was possibly the library’s best customer. As I got older, I began to check out books myself, though my mom ix-nayed Nancy Drews. She thought they weren’t sufficiently well-written, a point which I’m sure most successful mystery writers would vehemently debate, since many credit those mysteries to jumpstarting their passion.

My childhood favorite was The Secret Garden, which I read countless times, and launched my fondness for contemporary British writers—with Margaret Drabble, Edward St. Aubyn, Penelope Lively, Tessa Hadley, Jane Gardam at the top of my list, partly for their dry humor. When my seventh grade English teacher asked us to review a book, Frances Hodgeson Burnett’s classic was the title I picked, though when I turned in the assignment she embarrassed me in front of the class by saying was my choice for younger children. I got the message. Since the YA genre hadn’t yet emerged, with my mother’s guidance I began reading books meant for adults: Rebecca, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Marjorie Morningstar, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Exodus, Mila 18, Sybil… The week of my Bat Mitzvah, when I should have been practicing my Torah portion, I was deeply into Gone with the Wind, which, I do not regret. F. Scott Fitzgerald, whom I attempt to bring to life in my forthcoming novel, Another Side of Paradise, may not have had a high regard for Margaret Mitchell’s talent, but on this point, Mr. Fitzgerald and I disagree. The storytelling! The characters!

…

LLF Guest Post: Sally Koslow, Author of ANOTHER SIDE OF PARADISERead More »

You voted, they counted, and the winners have been announced. We are excited to share that The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz has been selected as the #4 LibraryReads pick for the month of June. A huge congratulations to all the titles on the list! See the full list here.

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz: The New York Times bestselling author of Magpie Murders and Moriarty brilliantly reinvents the classic crime novel once again with this clever and inventive mystery starring a fictional version of the author himself as the Watson to a modern-day Holmes, investigating a case involving buried secrets, murder, and a trail of bloody clues. 
Click here to request the egalley on Edelweiss.

"Actually, the word is not murder, it’s ingenious….a masterful meta-mystery." 
—Booklist  review

"Sharp-witted readers who think they’ve solved the puzzle early on can rest assured that they’ve opened only one of many dazzling Christmas packages Horowitz has left beautifully wrapped under the tree." 
—Kirkus Reviews  review

"Deduction and wit are well-balanced, and fans of Peter Lovesey and other modern channelers of the spirit of the golden age of detection will clamor for more." 
—Publishers Weekly  review

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the June LibraryReads list! Be sure to submit your votes for the July LibraryReads list by May 20th. You can see our recommendations here. Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Chris

Our friends at Booklist are kicking off Mystery Month 2018 and we're joining in on the fun! We recently ran the above ad highlighting three mystery titles we think you'll find extra thrilling. Keep reading to find out more!

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Pulse by Michael Harvey
The acclaimed author of Brighton returns to Boston in this thrilling crime story with a dose of the supernatural—The Force meets Bird Box—in which the murder of a Harvard football star sends his brother and two veteran detectives down a rabbit hole of heartbreaking loss, sordid characters, and metaphysical conspiracies. 

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: August 20th

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
The #1 internationally bestselling author returns with a new standalone where a sudden act of violence shatters one woman’s understanding of her mother and her past. 

"[Slaughter’s] talent for writing convincingly flawed yet sympathetic characters is in high relief here, as she juggles the mystery of Laura, past and present. Readers will find themselves totally immersed in the suspenseful, alternating story lines and won’t want either of them to end…. This departure from Slaughter’s more-gruesome stand-alone thrillers and popular series mysteries will more than satisfy her many fans."
—Booklist  review by Rebecca Vnuk, LibraryReads Executive Director

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: June 20th 

November Road by Lou Berney
Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the multiple award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone. This is the HarperCollins Lead Read for Fall 2018.

"November Road is a remarkable and unforgettable reading experience. Lou Berney’s artistry as a writer hits you in the heart and tugs hard at your soul. This tense and riveting thriller unfolds in the shadow of the assassination of JFK and is a deeply moving love story about people caught in moral dilemmas for which there are no easy answers and who together find hope against all odds. It will stay with you long after you read the final page. You will recommend it to friends. You will read it again. Berney is a writer to be read and admired. This is a staggeringly brilliant book and a flat-out terrific read." 
—Don Winslow, New York Times bestselling author of The Force

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: August 20th

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We hope you enjoy these spectacular reads! To stay up-to-date with all the mystery happenings this month, visit The Booklist Reader.

-Chris

Our Booklist mystery ad, which appeared in the May 1st issue, listed some marvelously mysterious reads. Here's a list of the titles that were highlighted:

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

Overkill by Ted Bell

How Far She's Come by Holly Brown

The Moscow Offensive by Dale Brown

Splinter in the Blood by Ashley Dyer

November Road by Lou Berney

Hangman by Daniel Cole

After the Monsoon by Robert Karjel

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth

What Remains of Her by Eric Rickstad

The Last Thing I Told You by Emily Arsenault

The Man Who Couldn't Miss by David Handler

The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Field of Bones by J.A. Jance

Pulse by Michael Harvey

Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink

Shell Game by Sara Paretsky

Find Me Gone by Sarah Meuleman

Find more mystery and thrillers on our Edelweiss catalog page.

-Lainey

We hoped you enjoyed our Facebook live! If you missed it, be sure to watch the video here.

Here's a list of titles we discussed for your TBR list:

Ahab's Return by Jeffrey Ford

Open Mic Night in Moscow by Audrey Murray

Scarface and the Untouchable by Max Allan Collins and A. Brad Schwartz

My Girls by Todd Fisher

The Daisy Children by Sofia Grant

The Secret of the Irish Castle by Santa Montefiore

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers

Second Time Sweeter by Beverly Jenkins

• Find out more about Beverly's titles here.

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

• Find out about Karin's support of libraries here.

Between You and Me by Susan Wiggs

Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healey

The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay

Her Fear by Shelley Shepard Gray

Backlist available for purchase:

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern

• Be sure to check out the amazing New York Times review!

The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford

The Dress in the Window by Sofia Grant

The Girl in the Castle by Santa Montefiore

The Daughters of Ireland by Santa Montefiore

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams

Varina by Charles Frazier

Creative Quest by Questlove

Stepping to a New Day by Beverly Jenkins

Bring on the Blessings by Beverly Jenkins

Chasing Down a Dream by Beverly Jenkins

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane

His Risk by Shelley Shepard Gray

This Could Hurt by Jillian Medoff

Chicago by David Mamet

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

• Here's a link to the I'll Be Gone in the Dark Podcast we mentioned!

AND! We announced our new PODCAST on the video today! Make sure to check it out on Soundcloud now!

Happy Reading!

We have some wonderful news to share: She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper has received the 2018 Edgar Award for "Best First Novel By An American Author." A gritty crime novel about a young girl marked for death who must fight for survival alongside her terrifying and dangerous father, She Rides Shotgun also won a 2018 Alex Award, an honor given to 10 adult books with special appeal to young adult readers. Additionally, She Rides Shotgun received STARRED reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus Reviews.

From Booklist: "From its bravura prologue to its immensely satisfying ending, this first novel comes out with guns blazing and shoots the chambers dry. It’s both a dark, original take on the chase novel and a strangely touching portrait of a father-daughter relationship framed in barbed wire."

From Kirkus Reviews: "The characters’ loyalty, love, and struggle for redemption grip the reader and don’t let go."

Congratulations to Jordan for this incredible accomplishment! You can get your copy of She Rides Shotgun here. For a full list of the 2018 Edgar Awards winners, visit http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html.

-Chris

We are so excited to announce that Noir by Christopher Moore has been chosen as BookPage's top mystery pick of May!

New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore returns in finest madcap form with this zany noir set on the mean streets of post-World War II San Francisco, featuring a diverse cast of characters, including a hapless bartender; his Chinese sidekick; a doll with sharp angles and dangerous curves; a tight-lipped Air Force general; a wisecracking waif; Petey, a black mamba; and many more. Absurdly outrageous, sarcastically satiric, always entertaining—Christopher Moore is back! 

Noir has also been included in the 20 Big Mysteries and Thrillers of Spring on Goodreads. Find out more about Christopher in his Goodreads interview.

Take a look at the reviews for Noir:

“[A] pedal-to-the-metal, exquisitely written comic romp through a neon-lit San Francisco that may never have actually existed, but that, in Moore’s supremely talented hands, sure feels like it could have.”
—Booklist (starred review)

“Moore glides comfortably through the book’s loony little corner of San Francisco and through drastic changes of mood…As with his best work, there’s a fundamental sweetness beneath the antics.”
—New York Times

“Raymond Chandler meets the SyFy channel in Moore’s latest humorous adventure. Fans of noir film and fiction will find a lot to enjoy in this loving genre tribute, and those already familiar with Moore’s books will simply be in love.”  
—Library Journal (starred review)

Tune into the William Morrow Facebook page today (4/26) at 11:30 AM to hear from Christopher Moore himself, in a live video! We are also giving away copies to the first 10 people who email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.

-Lainey

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern, a February LibraryReads pick, just got a fantastic review in the New York Times!

The story follows Kit, head librarian at the public library in Riverton, New Hampshire, and fifteen-year-old home-schooled Sunny. After Sunny gets arrested for shoplifting a dictionary, the judge throws the book at Sunny—literally—assigning her to do community service at the library for the summer. Bright, curious, and eager to connect with someone other than her off-the-grid hippie parents, Sunny coaxes Kit out of her self-imposed isolation. They’re joined by Rusty, a Wall Street high-flyer suddenly crashed to earth.

In this little library that has become the heart of this small town, Kit, Sunny, and Rusty are drawn to each other, and to a cast of other offbeat regulars. As they come to terms with how their lives have unraveled, they also discover how they might knit them together again and finally reclaim their stories.

The New York Times gave a rave review, saying "Like Riverton itself, Summer Hours at the Robbers Library feels artfully balanced between the reality of loss and a carefully guarded hope for renewal." Read the full article here.

Check out some of this title's other great endorsements:

“Finely choreographed and lucidly told, Halpern infuses this tale of derailments and second chances with free-ranging empathy, lithe humor, and penetrating insights into the human psyche. [Halpern is] a discerning and sensitive novelist.”
—Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)

You can find out more about the book here. In celebration, we are giving away copies of Summer Hours at the Robbers Library to the first 10 people who email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.

Congrats, Sue! It's well deserved!

-Lainey

The Lost Family creates a vivid portrait of marriage, family, and the haunting grief of World War II in an emotionally charged, beautifully rendered story that spans a generation, from the 1960s to the 1980s. Today, we are sharing a great (and quite funny) guest post by author Jenna Blum.

I have a secret that’s really shameful, especially for a writer:

For most of my life, I’ve been terrified of libraries.

Bookstores I love, and to me a home is bankrupt without books (No bookshelves? Don’t sleep with that man!: my No. 1 rule when I was dating.) As a child, my happy place was the Watchung BookShoppe in Montclair, New Jersey, surrounded by books, trying to decide which to spend my allowance on.

Montclair had a beautiful library. It had a very modern (for the 1970s) all-glass facade, and inside was the comforting smell of books. Four whole floors of them. I should have been in heaven.

Then, there was the librarian.

I was a good child. I loved to please adults, usually accomplished via my advanced reading skills. I thought this librarian would be no different, especially since I was in the kingdom of books.

But I must have been too excited, because while I was scrambling upstairs, she hissed, “NO RUNNING IN THE LIBRARY.” And “You—BE QUIET.” She chased me down and pinched my chin and said, “ENOUGH, young lady.”

She took my books away.

I became an instant library-phobe. 

It was a terrible handicap for a writer. My whole college career, I never set foot in Kenyon’s library (which is also beautiful, at least from outside). When my first novel Those Who Save Us was published, I spoke at book clubs, fundraisers, universities—hoping nobody noticed I avoided libraries. I felt like Ferdinand the bull, raised to fight but wanting only to smell the flowers. What kind of cowardly writer was afraid of libraries?

So when Miss Rachel Sides invited me to speak at her library in Guymon, Oklahoma, despite my terror, I accepted.

Guymon is on the Oklahoma Panhandle, called “No Man’s Land” because originally nobody wanted to live there. It’s next to Beaver, and another town, Hooker. That’s where Miss Rachel’s from.

Miss Rachel and her friend Melyn rolled out the red carpet. They took me to a Mexican restaurant where I had my first horchata. Knowing I was researching my second novel, The Stormchasers, they enlisted a sheriff’s deputy, Elvia Hernandez, to take me tornado-chasing. They brought me to Cactus Jack’s and plied me with tequila.

When I finally entered Miss Rachel’s cool, impeccable library, I barely broke a sweat.

There were kind people waiting to hear me talk about my book, a miracle that always amazes me. Miss Rachel brought me coffee (and offered to put whiskey in it). She had the perfect librarian’s voice: soft and breathy, like Marilyn Monroe’s. “Jenna’s novel changed my life,” she whispered during the intro. 

And there was the sweet smell of books, unchanged for decades, paper and dust. As I thanked everyone for coming, I realized I’d let one person’s behavior thirty years ago chase me from a place I loved. Now, thanks to Miss Rachel, I was home.

At the Boston Public Library, taking a photo of the famous reading room.

Photo credit: Tom Champoux

Thanks, Jenna! We are so glad to hear that you are now a library lover! We're glad to have you! 

The Lost Family is on sale June 5th! Make sure to get the egalley on Edelweiss. The deadline to vote for it as a LibraryReads pick is April 20th!

-Lainey

Looking for the next big mystery/thriller? Check out these titles that are featured on our Library Journal mystery ad! 

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth

Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healey

Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

It All Falls Down by Sheena Kamal

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva

Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas

I Know You Know by Gilly MacMillan

A Forgotten Place by Charles Todd

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Man of War by Sean Parnell

Field of Bones by J.A. Jance

The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman

Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day

Walking Shadows by Faye Kellerman

The Mystery of Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah

Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

The Day of the Dead by Nicci French

Pirata by Patrick Hasburgh

Mine by JL Butler

Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty

A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay

You can find more spine-tingling mysteries and thrillers in our Edelweiss catalog here.

-Lainey

We’re so excited about The Summer Wives, the latest book from Beatriz Williams! Librarians are swooning over it and we’re sure you will, too.

Beatriz LOVES libraries:

And librarians LOVE Beatriz! Check out these amazing quotes about The Summer Wives:

“It's a devastating battle of secret love vs. money and pedigrees when Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite Winthrop island and innocently falls in love with the son of a fisherman, shortly after the end of WWII. A great summer read!” —Susan Riley, Library Director of Mamaroneck Public Library District

"Calling all #BeatrizBinge fans! You are going to love her latest. The Summer Wives follows the lives of the Families and the locals living on an elite island off the Connecticut coast. Starting in 1930 through 1969, Williams paints a portrait of the haves and have-nots and the many secrets they keep. You’ll fall for celebrity Miranda Schuyler and lobsterman Joseph Vargas. Will they end up together? Find out in this great summer read." —Lauren McLaughlin, Assistant Director, Wilton Library

“The writing is precise and descriptive, and reading The Summer Wives is like watching a film, complete with love and drama to be envied, bemoaned, and enjoyed.” —Booklist

“Longtime Williams fans, readers of historical fiction and mysteries, and anyone seeking engaging plot twists will find satisfaction in these pages.” –Library Journal

The Summer Wives is on sale July 10th! Request the egalley on Edelweiss here. Don’t forget to vote for this title as a July LibraryReads pick by May 20th!

We also have Beatriz swag!

Enter to win a Beatriz tote bag, including a bottle of bubbly, and her effervescent backlist of books!

Enter here.

On Monday, the American Libraries Association released its annual State of America’s Libraries report. The report discusses statistics and library trends—proving how important libraries are in America. They also included the top banned books of the year. This past year, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) tracked 354 challenges to library (including schools and universities) materials and services. Some of these requests resulted in restrictions and removing multiple titles from a library's collection. In all, 416 books were targeted. Read more about these findings and see the whole list here.

This year, HarperCollins has two books included in the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2017:

#7: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

#8: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

You can also find videos and detailed explanations for why they were challenged here. Read the complete State of America's Libraries report here.

Let's speak out for banned books by starting a conversation, using the hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #Top10!

-Lainey

You voted, they counted, and the winners have been announced. We are excited to share that The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy has been selected as the #4 LibraryReads pick for the month of May. A huge congratulations to all the titles on the list! See the full list here.

They call themselves the May Mothers—a group of new moms whose babies were born in the same month. Twice a week, they get together in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for some much-needed adult time. The Perfect Mother is an addictive psychological thriller about this group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.

“Molloy, a master of clever misdirection, deftly explores the expectations, insecurities, and endless judgement that accompany motherhood in this fast-paced thriller featuring a bevy of strong, smart, and realistically flawed women who, refreshingly, have each other’s backs when it counts the most. Mesmerizing.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred) 

Thanks to all who participated and submitted votes for the May LibraryReads list! Be sure to submit your votes for the June LibraryReads list by April 20th. You can see our recommendations here. Click here to learn more about LibraryReads.

-Lainey

Dr. Cristal Glangchai is an engineer, entrepreneur, and CEO of VentureLab. After seeing an inequality of women in the STEM fields, Cristal dreamed of a world where girls can develop their entrepreneurial skillset and allow them to be confident in their STEM abilities. Her new book, VentureGirls, is a powerful, practical call to action. Today, we share Cristal's experience with a great female role model: her mother, a librarian.

Whenever my mother brought us to work with her, it was magical. She was a librarian and headed the cataloging department at the Texas State University library—an extraordinary place, where my two sisters and I would roam free, following our curiosity wherever it would take us.

Some of my fondest, strongest memories are of times my mother took us to work with her—we would  run through the halls of the library, with the smell of books in the air. Often, we would build a fort under her office desk—it was our own private hideaway where we could use our imaginations and transport ourselves anywhere that we desired. My mom would bring books of all genres for us to read; whether it was a book of fairy tales, the adventures of Robinson Caruso, or Huckleberry Finn. When she taught us the Dewey Decimal system, our world infinitely expanded—we could find the books we wanted to read ourselves. We would gaze up at the seemingly endless bookshelves, wanting to climb the ladders and read all of the books.

For my mother, no project was too difficult or too scary to tackle. In high school, I had a particularly tough research project in my social studies class. I had always been passionate about new technology and was currently interested in studying new methods for cleaning oil spills in our oceans. Without hesitation, my mother jumped right in to help me get the resources that I needed. She took me to the library and helped me navigate the stacks and the reference sections for research on nano-sponges and other micro-organisms that had the capability to soak up oil spills.

When I was older, my mother took on the challenge of writing a book, Conversations with Catalogers in the 21st Century, which encompassed the new role of catalogers in our increasingly digital society. I observed her tackle the work of organizing and writing the book in a fearless and confident manner. I still remember the pride that I felt in watching my mom receive her first printed copy and knowing that that her book would now be in her library and many more. Watching her ultimately inspired me to write VentureGirls.

Thanks, Cristal! VentureGirls is on sale May 8th, but you can get the egalley here.

-Lainey

This week marks the 60th anniversary of National Library Week. Sponsored by the American Library Association, the week of April 8-14, 2018 will be a celebration of all things libraries! Libraries not only house some of our most important cultural treasures, they serve as community outreach and resource centers. This year's theme is "Libraries Lead," with American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Misty Copeland serving as the 2018 National Library Week Honorary Chair. 

Here's a list of the National Library Week events:

• April: School Library Month
• Monday, April 9 The 2017 State of America's Libraries Report is released 
• Tuesday, April 10: National Library Workers Day
• Wednesday, April 11: National Bookmobile Day
• Thursday, April 12: Take Action for Libraries Day

Find out more about these events, how to participate on social media, and download National Library Week graphics here.

Let's let our local library know how much they mean to us by participating in National Library Week!

 -Lainey 

Kate Rorick, creator of the web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, has written her first adult fiction novel, The Baby Plan, which introduces readers to the wacky world of modern pregnancies, where everything is Google-able and crowd sourced; where over-the-top "gender reveal" parties happen before the baby is even born; and where every move a mother makes is scrutinized and criticized. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll shake your head as you wonder where everyone’s sanity went.

Today we’re sharing a blog post from the author about how libraries have inspired her.

Enjoy—and pick up a copy of The Baby Plan—which is on sale now!

A Life in Libraries.

1994: Our local branch of the Anne Arundel County Public Library is across the practice baseball field from the high school, where I am but a lowly, taciturn, and sarcastic sophomore. I don’t play baseball, I play the trumpet, and when marching band is over, it feels natural to walk across the field to the warmth of the library, where I can do a little homework, surf the burgeoning world wide web, and indulge in what had become my secret obsession, historical romance novels. I’d be as deeply into Amanda Quick as I was into my calculus homework when my parents came and picked me up.

I still have my yellow Anne Arundel County Library card. It has no expiration date.

2002: New York City. I am 23, trying to start my career, and deeply poor. In order to keep myself from going mad or broke, I decided to try my hand at writing a novel. Specifically, a historical romance novel. One hundred and fifty pages in, one bit of history had become elusive—I don’t remember exactly what it was, something to do with the history of steel production in Britain.

My internet is dial up, and Wikipedia is nascent, so I go to the one place in the city that might have an answer. The library.

But not just any library. The New York Public Library on Fifth avenue and 42nd Street. You know, the one with the lions.  The one from Ghostbusters.

I was issued a sparkling, silver New York Public Research Library card, with the elegant lion on the front, like the film negative of the regular maroon NYPL card it would sit next to in my wallet. 

Inside, I marvel at the map room, where thousands of old maps are held on file. I spend what little money I have on maps from Regency England. Copied, they become treasured research possessions. 

I find a book that might have what I need in it in their computer. Then another, and another. I have them brought up from the hidden stacks below and spend hours upon hours of a snowy afternoon losing myself in looking for a plot bunny, but mostly finding myself in a quiet, elegant room, completely at peace.

I will write novels in one library or another on and off for the next fifteen years, pulling facts, figures, and inspiration from their shelves.

2014: The local branch of my library is a 2-block walk from my apartment. I have a 3 month old and a book deadline looming dangerously close. I engage a babysitter, and in order to be close enough in case of emergency but far enough away that I can still get work done, the library becomes my home away from home. My laptop, and a large table by the window, becomes my favorite and for the 4 hours a week that I can afford the sitter, I manage to pound out enough words to please not only my editor, but myself.  

I dedicate that book to my son. And his babysitter.  

2018:  My now 3 year old loves the playground. And luckily, the closest is only a few blocks away in the park, next to the library. Once we are exhausted from the swings, the slide, and the thing that looks super dangerous but my son loves to jump off of, we head inside the library.

The children’s section is a warm room full of light and low shelves, just the right height for young readers. There is a large tree in the center, a perfect place for a little boy to rest his back while he carefully turns the pages on his latest find.  

He loves the No David! books. We check them all out. I throw an Amanda Quick I haven’t read in 20 years on the pile, too. Next weekend we will return, no doubt exhausted from the playground, and eager to see what else we can find on the shelf. 

Thanks, Kate! We love when authors want to share their favorite library memories. Get a copy of The Baby Plan here. We are also giving away copies of this book to the first 15 people who email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.

-Lainey

The deadline for the June LibraryReads list is fast approaching and there is a plethora of fantastic books to read. Below, you can learn about several that the Library Love Fest team is extremely excited about. We hope you dip in and love them as much we love them. If you do, please remember to leave a review on Edelweiss and submit your review to LibraryReads! Click here to learn more about LibraryReads. The voting deadline is April 20th!

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Bearskin by James McLaughlin
Bearskin is a hard-hitting and visceral thriller about a caretaker of an Appalachian nature preserve who also happens to be on the run from a Mexican drug cartel. This debut has more awe-inspiring and lyrical "OH WOW" moments than anything I've read in recent memory. I think #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box sums it up best: "…filled with sights, smells, and sounds truly observed…. [Bearskin is] a powerful debut and an absolute showcase of exceptional prose. There are very few first novels when I feel compelled to circle brilliant passages."

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th

Left by Mary Hogan
This novel from the critically acclaimed author of Two Sisters and The Woman in the Photo has a passionate fan in Virginia Stanley, Director of Library Marketing at HarperCollins. The story of a woman coping with the gradual loss of her husband to dementia, Left is both wise and heartfelt. Virginia and Mary discussed the novel on Facebook Live, which you can watch below. Needless to say, this is a novel not to be missed.  

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th 

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd
We had the pleasure of meeting Peng at this year's Public Library Association Conference, which was extra wonderful as I have been raving about this debut novel and was able to fanboy (within reason) during Peng's signing. The Book of M is a perfect blend of literary and dystopian, about a young couple, Ory and Max, who are ripped apart in the midst of a global catastrophe. The story is deeply imaginative but what really gives the book heft is the narration, as both Ory and Max's voices are so unique and so very human. Fans of Station Eleven and Joe Hill should be enamored of this weighty, thrill-ride of a
                                 novel. 

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th

More Great Titles Coming in June

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
The New York Times bestselling author brilliantly reinvents the classic crime novel once again with this clever and inventive mystery starring a fictional version of the author himself as the Watson to a modern-day Holmes, investigating a case involving buried secrets, murder, and a trail of bloody clues.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th

The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
Bhima, the unforgettable main character of Thrity Umrigar’s beloved national bestseller The Space Between Us, returns in this triumphant sequel—a poignant and compelling novel in which the former servant struggles against the circumstances of class and misfortune to forge a new path for herself and her granddaughter in modern India.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
The Bram Stoker Award-winning author of A Head Full of Ghosts adds an inventive twist to the home invasion horror story in a heart-palpitating novel of psychological suspense that recalls Stephen King’s Misery and Jack Ketchum’s cult hit The Girl Next Door.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th

The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah
Sweetbitter meets The Nightingale in this page-turning novel about a woman who returns to her family’s ancestral vineyard in Burgundy and unexpectedly uncovers a lost diary, an unknown relative, and a secret her family has been keeping since World War II.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
LibraryReads voting deadline: April 20th

***

We hope you enjoy the reads and cast your votes for LibraryReads! Remember, the deadline to vote for the June list is April 20th!

-Chris

Miss our Facebook Live Tiki Talk? Not to worry—here's a list of all the titles we discussed, plus the recipe for the Irish cream whiskey we were sippin'!

–FAMOUS FATHER GIRL by Jamie Bernstein

–THE BAR HARBOR RETIREMENT HOME FOR FAMOUS WRITERS (AND THEIR MUSES) by Terri-Lynne DeFino

–PRINCE HARRY by Duncan Larcombe

–POPS by Michael Chabon

–YEAR OF WONDER by Clemency Burton-Hill

    *Find the video with author Clemency Burton-Hill that Virginia spoke about here.

–INTO THE RAGING SEA by Rachel Slade

–UNDER A DARK SKY by Lori Rader-Day

–PANTSDRUNK by Miska Rantanen

–AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS by Leah Franqui

–THE MYSTERY OF THREE QUARTERS by Sophie Hannah

–ANY MAN by Amber Tamblyn

–CHESAPEAKE REQUIEM by Earl Swift

–THE ART OF WINNE-THE-POOH by James Campbell

–THE MERMAID HANDBOOOK by Carolyn Turgeon

–HOW TO DRAW CHARACTERS FOR THE ARTISTICALLY CHALLENGED by John Bigwood

–BARRACOON by Zora Neale Hurston

–RABBIT by Patricia Williams, with Jeannie Amber

    *Make sure to listen to Edge of Fame and WTF With Marc Maron podcast interviews with Mrs. Pat!

–THE PREY OF GODS by Nicky Drayden

–SPEAK NO EVIL by Uzodinma Iweala

Backlist Titles:

–THE DAY I DIED by Lori Rader-Day

–MONOGRAM MURDERS by Sophie Hannah

–CLOSED CASKET by Sophie Hannah

–MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS by Agatha Christie

–AUTO BIOGRAPHY by Earl Swift

Find the full Facebook Live video here.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Irish Cream Whiskey Recipe:

Recipe credit to Jamie Feldmar, adapted from Angela Waterhouse, Stone Park Cafe, Brooklyn, NY

Yield: 1 quart

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Total Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups Irish whiskey (such as Jameson)

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

2 teaspoons instant coffee

1½ cups heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, combine the whiskey, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate syrup and instant coffee, and blend on high speed until combined.
2. Place the whiskey mixture in a bowl and stir in the cream until smooth. Store the Irish cream in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks. Serve chilled over ice.

 Enjoy and see you next month!

Couldn't watch Virginia Stanley's title presentation at the Booklist book buzz at this year's Public Library Association Conference? Keep reading for details on all the books she buzzed about, with some additional titles you should have on your radar!

*** 

Bearskin by James McLaughlin
A gritty and captivating debut about a caretaker of an Appalachian nature preserve who gets embroiled in a dangerous bear-poaching scheme—for fans of Smith Henderson, Ron Rash, and Daniel Woodrell.
Edelweiss link

The Dying of the Light by Robert Goolrick
From the author of the bestselling A Reliable Wife comes a dramatic, passionate tale of a glamorous Southern debutante who marries for money and ultimately suffers for love—the literary love-child of William Faulkner and Dominick Dunne.
Edelweiss link

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
This beautiful, illuminating tale of hope and courage is based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov—an unforgettable love story in the midst of atrocity.
Edelweiss link

The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger
A poignant, evocative, and wonderfully gossipy account of the two sisters who represented style and class above all else—Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill—from the authors of Furious Love.
Edelweiss link

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
The New York Times bestselling author of Magpie Murders and Moriarty brilliantly reinvents the classic crime novel once again with this clever and inventive mystery starring a fictional version of the author himself as the Watson to a modern-day Holmes, investigating a case involving buried secrets, murder, and a trail of bloody clues.
Edelweiss link

Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz
The new James Bond novel from the New York Times bestselling author explores where it all began: the explosive prequel to Casino Royale.
Edelweiss link

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough
The New York Times bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes returns with a twisty, hair-raising psychological thriller about a single mom, her daughter, and her best friend, the secrets they hide, and the danger they can’t escape.
Edelweiss link

Untitled by Lou Berney
Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the multiple award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone.
Edelweiss link

Operation Columba by Gordon Corera
The fascinating, untold story of how British intelligence secretly used homing pigeons as part of a clandestine espionage operation to gather information, communicate, and coordinate with members of the Resistance to defeat the Nazis in occupied Europe during World War II.
Edelweiss link

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy
A bold, heartfelt tale of life at Green Gables…before Anne: A marvelously entertaining and moving historical novel, set in rural Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century, that imagines the young life of spinster Marilla Cuthbert, and the choices that will open her life to the possibility of heartbreak—and unimaginable greatness.
Edelweiss link

The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman
A gripping true-crime investigation of the 1948 abduction of Sally Horner and how it inspired Vladimir Nabokov’s classic novel, Lolita.
Edelweiss link

Left by Mary Hogan
In this beautifully crafted novel from the author of the critically-acclaimed Two Sisters, comes the story of a woman who retreats into a fantasy world on New York City’s Upper West Side as she slowly loses her once whip-smart husband to dementia—perfect for fans of Still Alice.
Edelweiss link

The Feral Detective by Jonathan Lethem
In Jonathan Lethem’s first detective novel since Motherless Brooklyn, one woman's journey to find a missing girl brings her into contact with Charles Heist, a laconic detective who lives in a trailer with an opossum that he keeps in a desk drawer. 
Edelweiss link

Why Religion? by Elaine Pagels
Why is religion still around in the twenty-first century? Why do so many still believe? And how do various traditions still shape the way people experience everything from sexuality to politics, whether they are religious or not? In Why Religion? Elaine Pagels looks to her own life to help address these questions.
Edelweiss link

The Big Fella by Jane Leavy
From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Boy and Sandy Koufax, comes the definitive biography of Babe Ruth—the man Roger Angell dubbed "the model for modern celebrity."
Edelweiss link

Tony's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
Set in the lush Big Band era of the 1940s and World War II, this spellbinding saga from the beloved New York Times bestselling author tells the story of two talented working class kids who marry and become a successful singing act, until time, temptation, and the responsibilities of home and family derail their dreams.
Edelweiss link

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
In this enchanting sequel to the number one bestseller The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom tells the story of Eddie’s heavenly reunion with Annie—the little girl he saved on earth—in an unforgettable novel of how our lives and losses intersect.
Edelweiss link

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
The New York Times bestselling author of Flight Behavior, The Lacuna, and The Poisonwood Bible and recipient of numerous literary awards—including the National Humanities Medal, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the Orange Prize—returns with a timely novel that interweaves past and present to explore the human capacity for resiliency and compassion in times of great upheaval.
Edelweiss link

Shell Game by Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky follows her instant New York Times bestseller Fallout—her most widely read novel in years—with an extraordinary adventure that pits her acclaimed detective, V.I. Warshawski, against some of today’s most powerful figures.
Edelweiss link

Dear America by Jose Antonio Vargas
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker, and the founder and CEO of Define American, a provocative memoir, at once both personal and universal, about immigration in America.
Edelweiss link

The Mystery of Three Quarters 
by Sophie Hannah
The world’s most beloved detective, Hercule Poirot—the legendary star of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and most recently The Monogram Murders and Closed Casket—returns in a stylish, diabolically clever mystery set in the London of 1930.
Edelweiss link

The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams
The New York Times bestselling author brings us the blockbuster novel of the season—a spellbinding novel of romance, murder, class, power, and dark secrets set in the 1950s and ’60s among the rarified world of a resort island in the Long Island Sound.
Edelweiss link

French Exit by Patrick deWitt
From the bestselling author of The Sisters Brothers, a brilliant and darkly comic novel about a wealthy widow and her adult son who flee New York for Paris in the wake of scandal and financial disintegration.
Edelweiss link

Baby, You're Gonna Be Mine by Kevin Wilson
A new story collection from the New York Times bestselling author, whom NPR calls "such an inventive and witty writer," that is deeply compassionate, darkly funny, and refreshingly original.
Edelweiss link

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva
The #1 New York Times bestselling author strikes again!
Edelweiss link

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
The #1 internationally bestselling author returns with a new novel in the vein of the New York Times bestsellers Pretty Girls and The Good Daughter—a story even more electrifying, provocative, and suspenseful than anything she’s written before.
Edelweiss link

Between You and Me by Susan Wiggs
From the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a deeply moving and intelligent tale of love, loss—and unexpected second chances.
Edelweiss link

Book Club Resources

Book Club Central: The American Library Association's partnership with Sarah Jessica Parker. Book Club Central is a new online resource for book clubs and readers featuring book reviews, author interviews, discussion questions, and more. Award-winning actor, producer, and avid reader Sarah Jessica Parker is the Honorary Chair of Book Club Central and a passionate advocate for libraries and literacy. Ms. Parker will offer her own book selections as part of SJP Picks.
Website: www.bookclubcentral.org

Library Love Fest Book Club Suggestions: Are you looking to start a book club? Do you need title suggestions for your current book clubs? We here at Library Love Fest have created this site to provide you with numerous options, hand selected by us.
Website: http://harperlibrary.typepad.com/harperbookclub/

Book Club Girl: Book Club Girl is a promotional service of HarperCollins Publishers offering reviews and resources for book clubs.
Website: www.bookclubgirl.com

***

So there you have it! With all these exciting upcoming reads and some excellent book club resources, your reading future is bright. Have questions or suggestions? Email us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com.

-Chris

We are thrilled to share that Jim St. Germain's powerful memoir, A Stone of Hope, was selected by the In Margins Book Awards as part of their 2018 Reading List. In the Margins strives to find the best books for teens living in poverty, on the streets, in custody—or a cycle of all three. You can see the full reading list here.

A Stone of Hope tells Jim's incredible true story of survival in the midst of crime and poverty. When his family moved from Haiti to Brooklyn's Crown Heights, Jim was forced to adapt to street life at a young age. A convicted felon at age 15, Jim narrowly avoided the tragic fate that took the lives of many of his friends when he was sent to "Boys Town," a non-secure detention facility designed for rehabilitation. Turning his life around, Jim returned to Crown Heights to work with "at-risk" youth and reform the way the criminal justice system treats them.

Congratulations to Jim for the award and for all the incredible work he's done to help disenfranchised youths. Get your copy of A Stone of Hope here.

-Chris

This week, we are thrilled to celebrate the release of I'll Never Change My Name, the powerful memoir by our friend Valentin Chmerkovskiy! In this special book, Val, best known as the world championship-winning and beloved Dancing With the Stars ballroom dancer, traces his life from his childhood in Odessa, Ukraine to his family's immigration to the United States, to his eventual rise to international stardom. This is an insightful and hopeful book that has something to offer all readers, whether or not they watch Dancing With the Stars.

Val not only has an incredible and uplifting story to share, but he is also a huge friend to libraries and librarians everywhere. He even came to the HarperCollins office to shoot a video for us, which we showed at our book buzz at ALA Midwinter 2018. We also got a group shot with him. Look how cute we are!

To celebrate the release of I'll Never Change My Name, we are giving away a copy of the book to the first 10 people to email us at librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Congratulations, Val!

-Chris

We can't wait to see everyone at PLA in a few days. Please stop by HarperCollins booth #1206 to check out all of our great events, chat about upcoming titles, and get some galleys! 

Wednesday, March 21st

9:30-10:30: Booklist Book Buzz in Ballroom A. Come hear about new titles from HarperCollins, as well as Norton, Penguin Random House, and Macmillan. 

Thursday, March 22nd 

9:30-10:30: Beatriz Williams booth signing of THE SUMMER WIVES

10:30-11:30: Sarah Beth Durst booth signing of THE QUEEN OF SORROW

11:30-12:30: Simon Winchester booth signing of THE PERFECTIONISTS

10:45-11:45: AAP/PLA Best in Debut Authors with Peng Shepherd, author of THE BOOK OF M, at the Nutters Theatre, Room 114. Find out more about all of the authors presenting and other AAP events here.

12:30-1:30: Peng Shepherd booth signing of THE BOOK OF M

1:00-2:00: Beatriz Williams Hoopla signing at booth #837 of THE SUMMER WIVES

1:30-2:30: Lou Berney booth signing

3:00-4:30: AAP/PLA Adult Book Buzz at the Book Buzz Stage with Simon & Schuster, Norton, Quirk Books, Ingram, Workman, and Sourcebooks.

3:30-5:00: Booklist Mystery Author Meet and Greet with Lou Berney at booth #1301

4:00-5:00: Joshilyn Jackson booth signing of THE ALMOST SISTERS

Friday, March 23rd 

9:30-10:30: Sean Parnell booth signing of MAN OF WAR

10:45-11:45: AAP/PLA Best in Mystery Authors with Lou Berney at the Nutters Theatre, Room 114. Find out more about all of the authors presenting and other AAP events here.

THE WOMAN LEFT BEHIND—the latest romantic suspense novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda Howard—is getting a lot of library love!

In this thrilling, edge-of-your-seat novel, a battle-hardened warrior will risk himself to help the woman he loves escape from deadly enemies.

Levi Butcher is singularly devoted to his work. As team leader for the GO-Team, his unwavering focus is on the mission. Levi knows all too well that one minor distraction can hold deadly consequences. But with the soothing, sensual voice of “Babe,” the team’s communication expert, constantly in his ear, keeping his concentration on the dangerous work at hand is becoming extremely difficult.

Jina Modell definitely doesn’t feel like a “Babe,” especially when she’s working with the gruff, no-nonsense Levi. When the base where she’s stationed is attacked, Jina manages to escape but the rest of the team, working some distance away, is exfiltrated, thinking Jina died in the explosion—leaving her stranded. To survive, she’s got to figure out how to get back to safety before she’s discovered by the enemy. Levi would never willingly leave a soldier behind, especially a brave woman whose sweet voice haunts his every thought. Once he discovers Jina is alive, the tenacious warrior will walk into fire to save this intriguing woman who has captured his heart.

Check out all of the amazing reviews!

"A sassy heroine with grit and determination to match and a tough, battle hardened hero struggle against impossible odds in a heart-pounding adventure that doesn’t let up until the very end."

—Library Journal   Review

"High-adrenaline action and high-octane passion once again prove to be an irresistible combination in best-selling Howard’s latest addictive suspense novel, featuring a heroine who doesn’t take guff from anyone, a testosterone-rich hero who still manages to be sensitive, and a sassy sense of wit, and you have the literary equivalent of pure gold."

—Booklist   Review

"Howard delivers an exciting standalone romantic thriller, featuring nuanced characters in extraordinary circumstances who still feel relatable and warm."

—Publishers Weekly 

Don't miss out on this new novel from the author that Birmingham News called the "queen of romantic suspense." 

Get your copy here.

-Lainey

Hello, librarians! Below, please find our reading suggestions for the May LibraryReads list. Chock-full of both debut and bestselling authors, this list will surely provide you with enough reading material to last you through the early days of spring and beyond. Remember, the deadline to vote for the May LibraryReads list is March 20th. 

Enjoy!

***

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
For fans of: The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn and The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.
"Molloy, a master of clever misdirection, deftly explores the expectations, insecurities, and endless judgement that accompany motherhood in this fast-paced thriller featuring a bevy of strong, smart, and realistically flawed women who, refreshingly, have each other’s backs when it counts the most. Mesmerizing." 
—Kirkus Reviews  review

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads voting deadline: March 20th

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston
For fans of: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
A major literary event: a never-before-published work from the author of the American classic Their Eyes Were Watching God that brilliantly illuminates the horror and injustices of slavery as it tells the true story of one of the last known survivors of the Atlantic slave trade—abducted from Africa on the last "Black Cargo" ship to arrive in the United States.

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads voting deadline: March 20th

That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam
For fans of: Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan
From the acclaimed author of Rich and Pretty comes the story of a young mother whose adoption of her late nanny's child finds her raising two children—one black, one white—whom she loves with equal ferocity, but whom the world is determined to treat differently.
"Quietly brilliant novel about motherhood, families, and race…. [Alam’s] portrait is quite possibly the best peek at motherhood and its disorienting seesaw effects on a middle class suburban woman than we have seen in a long while…. A stunning accomplishment."
—Booklist  review

Click here to download the egalley from Edelweiss
Public Librarian? Click here to request a physical galley
LibraryReads voting deadline: March 20th

…

LLF Staff Suggestions for May 2018 LibraryReads ListRead More »

Excitement is bubbling for Julia Fine's debut novel, What Should Be Wild. Coming this May, this dark literary fantasy follows a young woman whose touch brings both life and death, and who must travel into the mysterious woods surrounding her family's estate in order to remove a curse that has plagued the women in her family for generations. We loved this beautiful and immersive novel so much, we chatted about it on Facebook Live. Watch the replay here. 

With a debut so drenched in imagination and lyricism, surely libraries had some part to play, right? Well, today we are lucky enough to have Julia join us for a guest post, so let's find out!

A Bibliophile’s Coming of Age

Growing up, my family visited our public library weekly. We’d head to the children’s room, where I was allowed to disappear among the shelves as long as my mother could occasionally crane her neck to find me. While she chased my younger brothers, I’d squeeze into a corner with a real book: a middle grade novel I could speed-read to turn the precious five books I’d consume that week to six. I could not get enough of words and stories. They were my nourishment.

But by the time I was ten, the children’s area was too small. I was Eric Carle’s caterpillar—constantly hungry. Adult popular fiction was housed in a separate room from children’s, across the wide divide of the circulation desk and computers and recommended reading. Each time we entered the library I’d look toward that fiction room, only to be guided to our usual spot on the rainbow throw rug. This was the bibliophile’s equivalent of someday when you’re older, and I pined for those adult books in the same way other children pined for roller blades or Gameboys. I’d never break my mother’s trust and wander in; I was a rule follower—until one day, my appetite overcame me.

Insatiable, one day I crossed the threshold of the primary colors and hundred-plus-book series of the kids’ room. Every step was an adventure, a bildungsroman packed into one breathtaking minute—slipping past the teenager rolling her eyes, the librarian peering down her glasses, the old woman struggling with the newly digitized catalogue who winked at me, urging me on. And then the glorious mecca of the adult room: shelves that catapulted skyward, title after title of mysteries that could some day be mine.

I climbed up on a stepstool to grab my first adult title: The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman. I can still close my eyes and find myself diving into a lake in Vermont and a social commentary well beyond my comprehension. My mother found me reading, my back pressed against bookshelves. Luckily, she understood this rite of passage. She let me bring the book home, and then return to the adult fiction room. There, year after year, I grew inside its chrysalis until the day even it was not large enough, and I was ready to go out into the world on my own.

***

Thanks, Julia! What Should Be Wild will be hitting library shelves on May 8th, so head on over to Edelweiss to download the egalley and see what all the excitement is about! And be sure to cast your votes for LibraryReads by March 20th!

-Chris